Old-school galbi house in Gangnam: raw ribs grilled for you at Sojei

I've gotten totally hooked on hunting down BBQ places with great atmosphere, and this time I visited Sojei Seoul Flagship Store (소제이 서울본점), right in the middle of Gangnam, where the old-school vibe is fully alive 🤍 Clean, sleek interiors are nice these days, but sometimes you just want a delicious meal in a homey, nostalgic setting, right?

From the moment I walked in, I loved how comfortable it felt, like visiting a long-time regular spot. The meat quality is great too, and the staff grill everything for you from start to finish, so the meal was really relaxing 🥹

Where is Sojei Seoul Flagship Store and how do you get there?

Sojei Seoul Flagship Store is at 13 Gangnam-daero 114-gil, 1st floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in the alley between Nonhyeon Station and Sinnonhyeon Station. It's an easy walk from both stations, so access is really good.

Even though it's tucked inside an alley, the retro feel hits you right from the entrance, so you can't just walk past it! The big sign stands out and the old-school look is fully preserved, which got me excited before even going in. There's no dedicated parking, so if you drive, you'll need to use a nearby public car park.

What's the atmosphere like at Sojei Seoul Flagship Store?

The inside keeps the feel of an old neighborhood restaurant with retro decor. It has a different charm from the trendy, mood-lit BBQ places that are everywhere now, and the retro vibe was really appealing 😎

Old posters and knick-knacks on the walls add to the nostalgia, and the warm lighting made the whole place feel cozy and homey.

Old-timer restaurants have that special comfort, don't they?! It's lively rather than rowdy, a perfect space to enjoy good meat.

The tables are spaced generously, so I wasn't cramped at all during the meal, and it felt like a good fit for family gatherings, company dinners and meetups with friends.

One wall is covered with celebrity autographs, which really shows it's a place that's been loved for a long time ✨

What did we order at Sojei Seoul Flagship Store?

This day at Sojei, I ordered raw ribs, a side dish to go with them, and a rice dish to finish ❕

• LA-cut raw ribs (에레이 생갈비), 500g
• Small oxtail stew (맛보기 꼬리찜)
• Doenjang rice (된장술밥, rice in soybean paste broth)

Side dishes that even include beef tartare

Once you order, they first lay out a generous spread of side dishes, and I was really happy with it.

There was fresh seasoned spring cabbage (bomdong), white kimchi, radish salad, namul (seasoned vegetables), salted seafood and more, all neatly presented and great with meat, so I was already in a good mood before the main dish arrived. They even gave my beloved yukhoe (beef tartare) as a standard side ❤️ The sauces came in lots of varieties too, like salt, wasabi and fish sauce, so it was fun to pair them with each cut to taste.

Do staff grill the 500g LA-cut raw ribs for you to the end?

Yes, the staff at Sojei Seoul Flagship Store grill the raw ribs for you from start to finish. The ribs were overwhelming from the very first look 🔥

The clear marbling looked so appetizing, and as they cooked, the rich savory aroma spread and my mouth watered on its own 🤤 And the best part was that the staff grill them for you from start to finish…!

Timing is really important when grilling raw ribs, and the experienced staff cooked each piece to just the right doneness, so I could eat at the best moment without lifting a finger.

While grilling, they even explained how to eat each cut for the best flavor, so I was really satisfied with the service 😋 The first bite was incredibly juicy, and the more I chewed, the more the savory flavor of the beef filled my mouth. The meat was so fresh that even a light dip in salt was delicious, and adding wasabi brought out its clean taste even more.

How was the small oxtail stew?

The small oxtail stew at Sojei Seoul Flagship Store was tender and not heavily seasoned, so it went well between bites of raw ribs. The oxtail stew I ordered alongside was better than I expected 👍🏻

It had a soft texture like it had simmered for a long time, and the seasoning wasn't strong, so it was nice to have in between the meat. The meat pulled off the bone chewy yet tender, so I kept reaching for more.

Finishing the meal with doenjang rice

We finished at Sojei Seoul Flagship Store with doenjang rice 🍚 It's rice served in a rich soybean paste broth.

It was nutty and deep in flavor, really good. It's a perfect, clean way to end a meat meal, and the portion is surprisingly generous, so it wrapped up the meal nice and filling.

Honest review of Sojei Seoul Flagship Store

It's been a while since a BBQ place satisfied me on atmosphere, food and service all at once. The retro, old-school feel was really appealing and different from the trendy BBQ spots you see everywhere, and I especially liked being able to enjoy tasty raw ribs in such a homey setting.

Besides the meat quality, having the staff grill everything made the meal really easy, and the solid side dish lineup made it even better. If you want proper raw ribs in Gangnam, or a Korean BBQ place with great atmosphere, it's worth a visit 🥩❤️❤️❤️